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We will give, in this part, a few examples from among the Prophet’s (PBUH) miracles that relate to his effecting increase in food and that are definite to the degree of ‘consensus in meaning.’ However, before going into the subject, some introductory comments will be appropriate.

Each of the following examples of miracles is narrated, as authentic, through various -sometimes as many as sixteen- chains of transmission. Most of them occurred in the presence of large assemblies, and were narrated by many truthful persons of good repute from among those present.

For example, from among seventy men who partook of four handfuls of food and were filled, (1) one relates the incident, and the others do not contradict him. Their silence thus indicates their confirmation. For if in that era of truth and truthfulness the Companions, who were lovers of the truth and earnest and honest, had witnessed even the tiniest lie, they would have rejected and denied it. However, the incidents we will be citing were narrated by many people, and the others who witnessed them remained silent. Thus, each of these incidents has the certainty of ‘consensus in meaning.’

Furthermore, books of both history and the Prophet’s biography testify that, next to the preservation of the Qur’an and its verses, the Companions worked with all their strength to preserve the deeds and words of God’s Most Noble Messenger (PBUH), and especially those relating to the injunctions of the Shari‘a and to miracles, paying extreme attention to their accuracy. They never neglected even the tiniest aspect of his conduct, actions, and states. This and the fact that they recorded them are testified to by books of Hadith.

In addition, in the Era of Bliss, they wrote down and recorded many of the Hadiths concerning the injunctions of the Law and his miracles. The ‘Seven ‘Abdullahs’ in particular recorded them in writing. And especially ‘Abdullah b. al-‘Abbas, known as ‘the Interpreter of the Qur’an,’ and ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As some thirty to forty years later, and the thousands of exacting scholars of the generation that followed the Companions recorded the Hadiths and miracles in writing.

And still later, chiefly the four great interpreters of the Law and thousands of exacting scholars of Hadith related them and preserved them in writing.

Then, two hundred years after the Hijra, foremost Bukhari and Muslim and the six accepted books of tradition, undertook the duty of their preservation. Many severe critics such as Ibn al-Jawzi emerged who identified false reports which had been produced by deniers, the unthinking, the ignorant, or those who had recalled them wrongly.

Later, learned and exacting scholars like Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, who was honoured in a waking state seventy times by the presence and conversation of God’s Noble Messenger (PBUH), differentiated the diamonds of authentic traditions from other sayings and fabrications.

Thus, the incidents and miracles we shall speak of, have come down to us through numerous, perhaps uncountable, strong and trustworthy hands, and have reached us in sound condition.

All praise be to God, this is from the bounty of my Lord.

It is for this reason that one’s mind should be freed from the notion that these incidents have been distorted or confused in any way in being passed down all the way from that time to the present.

The Miracle in Wedding Dinner

Anas b. Malik narrates:

During the feast on the occasion of the Prophet’s (PBUH) marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh, my mother, Umm Sulaym said to me:

“O Anas! The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is going to marry today. I think they do not have any food. Bring that oil here!” I brought it. My mum prepared a dish called hays by mixinging pure Madinah dates only enough for the apostle of Allah and his wife with oil in an earthenware pot.

“O Anas! Take this dish to the Apostle of Allah and say to Him: ‘My mum has sent this to you. She is sending her kindest regards to you. Say to the apostle of Allah that this is a small and insufficient gift from us for you”.

I took it to the apostle of Allah and said:

“My mum is sending her kindest regards to you. This is a small and insufficient gift from us for you”

He said to me: “Put it there!” I put it on the empty place between Him and the wall. He also said:

“Go and invite Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali!”. He also told to me to invite many people among from His companions. I was amazed by his inviting many people for such little food. However, I found it inappropriate not to obey his order and invited them all. He said to me:

“Invite anyone who is present at the mosque!” I did so. I went to the mosque and said to all of the people who were there either praying or sleeping:

“Go to the wedding dinner of the apostle of Allah!” They came. Finally, everyone filled the prophet’s room and anteroom. He asked me:

“Is there anyone left in the mosque?”

I answered him “No!” He asked me again:

“Look! Invite whomever you encounter on your way!” I invited. He asked:

“Is there anyone who was left behind?”

I answered, “No, O the apostle of Allah.” The rooms and the table were filled. He said to me:

“Bring the dish here!” I brought the dish and put it in front of Him.

The Prophet said: “Make circles of ten.” He placed his blessed hand on that little amount of food, uttered supplications, and told them to help themselves. All of them ate and were fully satisfied. Afterwards, the Prophet said to me :

“Remove the food!” I removed it. However I could not tell if there was more food when I put it down on the table or when I removed it. I brought the dish at the side of the prophet’s (PUBH) wife. Then, I went to my mum and told her what had happened in astonishment. She said,

“Do not be amazed! If the apostle of Allah had wanted all Medina folk to come and eat from that food, all would have eaten and been fully satisfied.” It was informed that the number of the people who went there and ate from the food was about three hundred. (2)

The Miracle that was witnessed by a hundred and eighty people at the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, who was the Prophet’s (PBUH) host in Medina during his migration, relates:

“One day, when I brought a meal for two, which would suffice the Prophet and Abu Bakr, the apostle of Allah said:

He told me: “Go and invite thirty men from among the distinguished ones of the Ansar!” Since there was nothing I could add beside the food that I had prepared, this was too hard for me. I acted a bit slowly. The prophet (PBUH) told me again:

“Go and invite thirty men from among the distinguished ones of the Ansar!” Upon this, I invited them and they came. When they came, the Prophet (PBUH) said to them:

“Eat from it!” and they ate. They could only eat some portion of the food which was in front them! They witnessed that Muhammad (pbuh) was the Messenger of Allah and took the oath of allegiance after witnessing this miracle. Then, the prophet (PBUH) said:

‘Invite sixty men from among the distinguished ones of the Ansar!” I swear by Allah that these sixty men horrified me more than the thirty! I went and invited them. They could only eat some portion of the food which was in front them. They witnessed that Muhammad (pbuh) was the Messenger of Allah after witnessing this miracle. Then, the prophet (PBUH) said:

‘Invite ninety men from among the distinguished ones of the Ansar!” These ninety men horrified me more than the sixty and thirty! I went and invited them. They ate, too. They could only eat some portion of food the too and they witnessed that Muhammad (pbuh) was the Messenger of Allah and took the oath of allegiance after witnessing this miracle. So a total of hundred and eighty men ate the food of two men; they were all from the Ansar. (3) May God be pleased with them.

The increase of Jabir b. Abdullah’s crops of date enough for paying his debts

The father of Jabir, Abdullah b. Amr b. Haram was martyred in the battle of Uhud and left behind six daughters along with a high loan. Abdullah b. Amr had two groves with some date trees but these were not enough to pay for his debts. The offer of reducing the debts was not accepted by the creditors, and another offer for delaying the repay of debts was also rejected by them. For this reason, Jabir came to the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and said:

“O Apostle of Allah! As you know my father Abdullah was martyred in the battle of Uhud. He left many debts behind. The creditors did not accept the total crops of the dates in the grove!” and Jabir asked him to talk with the creditor, who was a Jew, and become an intermediary for help.

The apostle of Allah (PBUH) asked the Jew to take all the crops of the date grove in return for Jabir’s debts. However, the Jew did not accept it.

The Apostle of Allah (PBUH) talked with the Jew again. He asked him to delay Jabir’s debt owed to him. The Jew did not accept this, either. The prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) offer as repaying some of his debt that year and the rest in the following year was not accepted by the Jew, either. He also insisted that all of the dates to be given in return for his debt must be of good quality.

The following day, the apostle of Allah along with Hz. Abu Bakr and Hz. Umar went to the date grove of Hz. Jabir and prayed for blessing. He told Jabir:

“Go! Pick the dates and classify them: Inform me after putting one side the Ajwa (the good kind) and on the other side Azq-ı Zayd (ripe ones).”

After Jabir fulfilled his order, the apostle of Allah came. Jabir had invited the creditors, too.. They came to his grove with donkeys and sacks. Jabir was ready to take the risk of buying good kind of dates from another place in order to pay the debts of his father.

The apostle of Allah circumambulated around the largest pile of dates three times. After sitting near or in middle of the dates, he said to Jabir by showing the creditors:

“Give them what they want by weighing the dates!”

Jabir paid his debt the creditors completely by weighing one by one. When he looked at the remaining crops, it looked as if there was no decrease! “Jabir, who had been thinking to return back to his daughter’s side without having any dates but having paid back his father’s debts”, had now a total of seventeen loads of camels with dates! (4)

A Handful of Dates Feeds the Islamic Army

“Amra bint Rawaha, my mother called me. She gave me two handfuls of dates and said to me,‘Go and take this food to your father and Abdullah b. Rawaha, your uncle.’ On the way, I met the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and asked him where father and uncle were. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

“O young girl! Come here! What is that with you?

I said,“O Messenger of Allah! They are dates. Mum sent them to my father and my uncle so that they would eat them.”

He said, “Bring them to me.“

I poured the dates into the hands of the Messenger of Allah. They did not fill his hands. He wanted a tablecloth to be brought. They brought it and lad it on the ground. He put the dates on the tablecloth and scattered them. Then he said to the people around,

“Come here and eat! Call the Companions who are digging the trench. The people of the trench came and started to eat. As they ate the dates, the dates increased. [5]

The Increase of a a few Dates

It is reported through many chains of transmission from ‘Umar b. al-Khattab, Abu Hurayra, Salama b. Akwa‘, Abu ‘Amrat al-Ansari:

The army went hungry on the expedition of Tabuk. They referred themselves to the Noble Prophet (PBUH), and he told them: “Gather whatever food is left in your saddle-bags.” Everyone brought a few pieces of dates and put them on a mat. The most they could put together was four handfuls.

Salama related: “I estimated it amounted to the size of a sitting goat.” Then, the Noble Messenger (PBUH) announced: “Everyone bring their dish!” They pressed forward, and no one in the whole army remained with an empty dish, all the dishes were filled. There was even some left over.

One of the Companions who saw this miracle later said: “I realized from the way that increase was obtained that if the whole world had come, the food still would have been sufficient.”(6)

The Feast given with a little food for a hundred and thirty people

Abd al-Rahman, the son of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq relates:

“We, one hundred and thirty Companions, were with the Noble Messenger (PBUH) on an expedition. Dough was prepared to the amount of about four handfuls (3 kg), a goat was slaughtered and cooked, and its liver and kidneys were roasted. I swear by God that from that roasted meat [liver and kidneys] God’s Messenger gave a small piece to each and put the cooked meat into two large bowls. After we had all eaten until we were filled there was still some left over, which I loaded onto a camel.” (7)

A little bread along with a goat enough for a thousand people

“In the house of Hz. Jabir, during the Ahzab expedition on the celebrated day of Khandaq, a young goat was cooked along with four handfuls of rye bread (approx. 3 kg) Hazrat Jabir al Ansar relates by swearing:

“On that day, about a thousand people ate from four handfuls of rye bread and a young cooked goat; yet food was still left over. Hazrat Jabir relates: “that day the food had been cooked in my house, and after the one thousand people had left, the pot was still boiling with meat in it, and bread was being made from the dough; for the Prophet had wetted the dough and the pot with his blessed mouth, beseeching God for plenty.” (8)

Here this miracle concerning the increase of food was shown in front a thousand companions and narrated by Hazrat Jabir. Those people who witnessed this miracle did not deny this riwayah; it means they accepted it. So, we can say that “this miracle can be considered as if it was conveyed by a thousand people”.

The satiation of seventy to eighty people with one loaf of bread

Abu Talha, the uncle of Anas who served God’s Messenger for years narrates:

“The Messenger fed seventy to eighty men with a small amount of rye bread that Anas had brought under his arm. The Messenger ordered: “Break the bread into small pieces!”, and he prayed for its increase. Because the house was small, they came ten at a time, and left having filled themselves. (9)

Unending Barley

Jabir al-Ansari narrates:

“Once, a man asked the Noble Messenger (pbuh) for food for his household. The Messenger gave him a half load of barley. For a long time, he ate of the barley together with his family and guests. They would look and see that it did not finish. So, they measured it to see by how much it decreased. After that, the blessing of abundance was gone and the barley began to dwindle rapidly. The man went to the Messenger and related what had happened. God’s Messenger replied: “If you had not put it to the test by measuring it, it would have lasted you a life-time.” (10)

The satiation of a crowd with a single bowl of meat

Hazrat Samura relates:

“A bowl of meat was brought to the Prophet (PBUH). From morning to evening, many groups of men came and ate from it.” (11)

In accordance with the explanation we gave in the introduction to this section, this is not the narration of Samura alone, since Samura narrated this incident on behalf of, and with the approval of, all those present.

The Feast given to the Suffa School

Hazrat Abu Hurayra narrates:

"The Noble Messenger commanded me, ‘Invite the poor Makkan migrants who have made the Bench [suffa] of the Mosque their home and who number more than a hundred.’So I went and searched for them and gathered them together. A tray of food was set before us, and we ate as much as we wanted, then we arose. The dish remained full as it was when set down, only, the traces of fingers on the food were visible."(12)

Thus, this incident is related by Abu Hurayra in the name of all the People of the Bench, supported by their confirmation. Hence, the incident is as definite as if all the People of the Bench had related it. Is it at all possible that if it had not been true those men of truth and perfection would have remained silent and not denied it?

A Miracle of Abundance Performed during his Invitation of his Relatives to Islam

Hazrat Ali narrates:

In the first years of His prophethood, the Apostle of Allah invited all of His closest relatives to the feast that He arranged in order to invite them to Islam. They were about forty, including some who would eat a young camel and drink a gallon of milk in one meal. Yet for them he had prepared only a handful of food. All ate and were satisfied, and the food remained just as it had been before.

Later, he brought milk in a wooden bowl that would have been sufficient for only three or four persons. They all drank their fill. (13)

The Wedding Dinner of Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Fatima

According to an authentic narration, on the occasion of ‘Ali’s marriage to Fatima al-Zahra, The Noble Messenger (pbuh) ordered Bilal al-Habashi: “Have bread made from a few handfuls of flour; also slaughter a young camel!”

Bilal relates: “I brought the food and he put his hand on it to bless it. Later, the Companions arrived in groups, ate, and left. From the remaining food, he sent a full bowl to each of his wives, saying that they should eat and feed anyone who visited them.”

Such blessed abundance was indeed necessary for such a blessed marriage!

The plenty which the prophet’s family favored with

It is narrated by Imam Ali:

Fatima al-Zahra had prepared enough food for her family. She then sent ‘Ali to invite the Noble Messenger (pbuh) to come and eat with them. God’s Messenger came and told them to send a dish of food to each of his wives. Fatima said that after a dish of food had been set aside for himself, ‘Ali, Fatima, and their children, they lifted up the saucepan and it was full to overflowing. Through God’s will, they ate of the food for a long time afterwards. (14)

The Miracle witnesses by four hundred men

God’s Noble Messenger (Pbuh) ordered ‘Umar b. al-Khattab: “Equip with provisions for a journey four hundred horsemen from the Ahmasi tribe!” ‘Umar replied: “O Messenger of God! What we have in hand is the equivalent of a seated young camel.” The Messenger said: “Go and give it to them!” So he went, and out of that half load of dates, gave the four hundred horsemen sufficient provisions. And he stated that “it remained as before, without diminishing.”

Thus, this miracle of plenty occurred in connection with four hundred men and ‘Umar in particular. They are behind the narrations, supporting them, and their silence confirms them.

The Satisfying of the army with a handful of dates in the battle of Tabuk

Abu Hurayra narrates:

The army went hungry during the expedition of Tabuk battle. God’s Noble Messenger (PBUH) asked: ‘Is there nothing?’ I said: ‘I have one or two dates in my saddle-bag.’-According to another narration, it was fifteen.- He said: ‘Bring them here!’ I took them to him, and he plunged his hand into them and took a handful. He put them into a dish, and offered a supplication for their increase. Then he called the men in groups of ten and they all ate of them. Then he said: ‘Take what you brought, hold it, and do not turn it upside down.’

I put my hand in the bag; there were in my hands as many dates as I had brought. Later, during the lifetime of the Prophet (PBUH), and those of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman, I ate of those dates.” -It is narrated through another chain of transmission: “I gave several loads of those dates to be used ‘in God’s way.’ Later the bag containing the dates was plundered when ‘Uthman was assassinated.” (15)

Abu Hurayra was a constant and important student and disciple among the People of the Bench, the sacred school and tekke of the Teacher of the Universe, the Pride of the World (PBUH). In addition, the Prophet had prayed for his strength of memory. The miracle of plenty he reported which occurred in a large gathering like the expedition of Tabuk, should therefore be as sound and certain as the word of a whole army.

The Companions who are satisfied with a cup of milk

Abu Hurayra narrates:

“Once I was hungry, so I followed the Noble Messenger (PBUH) into his house. There we saw that a cup of milk had been brought as a gift. God’s Messenger said to me: “Call all the People of the Bench!” I said to myself, “I could drink all the milk myself, as I was most in need of it.” However, since it was God’s Messenger’s order, I fetched the People of the Bench, who numbered more than a hundred. God’s Messenger told me to offer milk to them. I gave the cup to each one by one, and each drank until satisfied.

At the end, the Messenger told me, ‘The rest is for me and you.’ As I drank, God’s Messenger kept telling me to drink more, until I said, ‘I swear by the Glorious One who sent you with the truth that I am too full to drink any more.’ Then God’s Messenger drank the rest, invoking the name of God and offering Him thanks.” (16) May it be a blessing for him a hundred thousand times!

This indubitable, manifest miracle, as pure and sweet as milk itself, is related by:

1. Foremost Bukhari, who committed to memory five hundred thousand Hadiths and books like Kutub Sitta… These books are so strong that a riwayah from them are as certain as if it was witnessed by eye.

2. It is narrated by a celebrated, loyal, and brilliant student of the Prophet’s blessed school of the Bench, Abu Hurayra, who also cited as witness -rather, represented- all the other students of the Bench.

Therefore, not to regard such a report as having the certainty of ‘consensus,’ either one’s heart should be corrupted, or one’s brain, destroyed! Is it ever possible that such a truthful person as Abu Hurayra, who devoted all his life to the Prophet’s Hadiths and to religion, and who heard and himself transmitted the Hadith,

“Whoever knowingly tells a lie concerning me should prepare for a seat in Hell-fire,” (17)

should have related an unfounded incident or saying that would have made him the target of the contradiction of the People of the Bench, and that would have caused doubt concerning the value and soundness of all the other Hadiths he had memorized? God forbid!

We have narrated a few examples concerning increase and plenty. Before finishing this part, we want to express some more points.
When we evaluate those miracles of abundance that we have quoted along with hundreds of other miracles, we will see that they will become an unbreakable strong pellet of evidence and no delusion can break it off.

It is well-known that when assembled together, weak things become strong. Fine threads are twisted, and they become a strong rope; strong ropes are wound together, and no one can break them. We have shown different kinds of miracles above that related to the blessings of increase and plenty. Each of the examples mentioned is a proof on its own, with enough strength to prove prophethood. Even if some of them -supposing the impossible- were to be regarded as weak, they could still not properly be called such, since whatever is united with the strong also becomes strong.

When we evaluate those miracles of abundance that we have quoted along with hundreds of other miracles, we will see that they will become an unbreakable strong pellet of evidence and no delusion can break it off.

Certainly those miracles concerning increase and plenty show that Muhammad the Arabian (PBUH) was the beloved official and honoured servant of One All-Compassionate and Munificent Who creates all sustenance and provides all beings with it, for contrary to His practice, He sent him banquets of different varieties of food out of nothing, from the pure Unseen.

It is well-known that the Arabian Peninsula is a place where water and agriculture are scarce. For this reason, its people, and particularly the Companions in the early days of Islam, suffered want and scarcity. They were also frequently afflicted with thirst. Due to this, the important of the manifest miracles of Muhammad (BPUH) concerned food and water. Rather than being miracles proving his claim to prophethood, these wonders were on account of need and like Divine gifts, dominical bounty, and banquets of the Most Merciful One for His Most Noble Messenger.

For those who saw the miracles had already assented to his prophethood. However, as the miracles took place, their belief increased and became more luminous.

O our Sustainer! For the sake of the blessings You bestowed on Your Most Noble Messenger, bestow the blessings of abundance on the favours with which You have provided us!